Category: Azer News

Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in a social media post that Washington was trying to shift the blame onto Tehran for the instability it had created in the region.

According to Baghaei, the United States started the war but is now seeking to make the rest of the world bear the consequences.

He also noted that the Strait of Hormuz had remained open until February 28, and that shipping in the strait was suspended only after the conflict began in the region.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow maritime passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, holding significant strategic importance as approximately 20% of global oil supplies and around 25% of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports pass through it. Essentially, it serves as an energy artery for countries in Asia, Europe, and even the United States.

The strait separates Iran from Oman, and in some areas, the width of the shipping channel is only two miles on each side. Given its critical role in global energy supply chains, ensuring the safety and security of this vital waterway is paramount for international trade and economic stability.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has sharply criticized fellow Poles who celebrated the victory of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt.

“Only fools or traitors in Poland can be happy about AfD’s triumph in Germany,” Tusk wrote on his social media.

He noted that such people could also be found among members of the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, as well as the Confederation coalition, which brings together nationalists and Eurosceptics.

The AfD earlier secured a landslide victory in elections to the regional parliament of Saxony-Anhalt. After all ballots were counted, the opposition right-wing party won 43.8% of the vote, while the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) received 17.2%.

French Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad described the result as a “serious moment for Europe” and stressed the importance of defending democratic values and the European project.

“We must listen with humility to anger, concern and fears, and provide answers. But nationalism and xenophobia are never the solution,” Haddad added.

AI4Real Bootcamp, an intensive training program organized by ADA University with the support of Azercell, has concluded. The program gave university students the opportunity to develop practical AI skills and explore real-world applications of technology.

Following a competitive selection process, 26 students from 14 universities in Azerbaijan and abroad took part in the program.

During the training, students worked on real business cases, explored the application of AI across different industries and developed solutions to practical challenges. Sessions were led by ADA University faculty and industry experts.

Sabir Mardanov, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at Azercell, presented examples of AI applications in the telecommunications industry and discussed the role of technology in addressing business needs. Samir Mammadov, a lecturer at ADA University’s School of Information Technology and Engineering, along with other faculty members and invited experts, provided insights into the use of AI across different fields.

Through practical sessions and teamwork, students strengthened their knowledge of artificial intelligence and gained experience in solving complex problems and developing technological solutions.

All participants received certificates upon completion of the program. Five top-performing students were selected to participate in a hackathon to be jointly organized by Azercell and ADA University in the new academic year.

Azercell continues to support the development of AI skills and the next generation of professionals in this field, in line with the priorities of the Artificial Intelligence Strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2025-2028.

Kazakhstan’s National Bank and Binance Investments Co. have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the development of a regional settlement hub for the Binance Group in Kazakhstan.

The planned hub will focus on international payments and money transfers, as well as transactions involving digital assets. It is expected to serve Binance’s global clients in Central Asia, the CIS and Eastern Europe.

The signing ceremony was attended by National Bank Chairman Timur Suleimenov and Binance founder Changpeng Zhao.

As part of the project, Binance plans to establish a local group entity in Kazakhstan and develop the necessary infrastructure. The organization is expected to obtain a National Bank license to operate as a first-category payment organization.

The project is expected to transfer part of Binance Group’s regional operations to Kazakhstan and enable a significant portion of clients in the region to be served through the Kazakh jurisdiction.

Binance is one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency platforms, allowing users to buy, sell, exchange and transfer digital assets.

On September 7, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

During the phone conversation, the heads of state discussed a number of topical issues concerning economic, trade, and humanitarian cooperation.

The Presidents agreed to further intensify bilateral relations at various levels.

Israeli investment firm Aurelius Capital and the German state of Lower Saxony have agreed to take over Volkswagen’s plant in Osnabrck and potentially convert it for defense production, Volkswagen announced on Monday.

The agreement comes just days after Volkswagen unveiled its largest-ever restructuring programme as the company seeks to reduce costs and improve its competitiveness.

According to the company’s statement, Aurelius and Lower Saxony plan to cooperate with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems as part of an initial project. The cooperation could involve the production of systems and components for air-defense equipment intended for Germany and other European countries.

Under a joint declaration of intent, Aurelius is expected to become the majority owner of the facility, while Lower Saxony will remain a co-owner. The German state is Volkswagen’s second-largest shareholder.

The proposed deal could also open the door to producing components for Israel’s Iron Dome air-defense system in Germany, according to media reports. However, the plans are still at an early stage and would require further negotiations and approvals.

An interesting aspect of the deal is the potential transformation of a traditional automotive factory into a defense-production facility. The move reflects a broader trend in Europe, where governments and industrial companies are looking for ways to expand defense manufacturing capacity and strengthen domestic supply chains.

The Osnabrck plant has traditionally been associated with vehicle production, making its possible conversion into a defense facility a notable example of how Europe’s industrial landscape is changing.

On September 9, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum will open the “Legend of the Pomegranate” solo exhibition by Narmin Najaff.

The exhibition titled “The Legend of the Pomegranate” explores both the traditional semantics of the pomegranate-one of Azerbaijan’s ancient symbols-as established in painting and carpet art, as well as its potential for contemporary artistic expression.

In the Pomegranate Journey series, the recurring pomegranate motif acquires new meanings through changes in space, rhythm, and emotional nuances across different compositions, reflecting the dynamics of the artist’s thought and imagination.

In works such as Pomegranate Horse and The Horse of the Pomegranate, the image of the pomegranate is presented in interaction with other elements. This approach allows the pomegranate to emerge not merely as a decorative motif, but also as a symbolic image expressing the artist’s individual artistic vision.

Holding the exhibition at the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum creates a distinctive artistic dialogue between painting and carpet art. The exhibition also features works by the artist dedicated to religious and philosophical themes.

One of the exhibition’s highlights is a contemporary carpet woven in the Museum’s Traditional Technologies Department, based on motifs from one of Narmin Najaff’s works and a technical design by carpet artist Sevinj Aliyeva.

This work demonstrates the transition of the pomegranate motif from one artistic language to another and reveals its potential for contemporary artistic expression. Widely used in traditional Azerbaijani carpets featuring pomegranate motifs, the symbol is presented here in a new artistic interpretation through contemporary textures and three-dimensional means of expression.

The Legend of the Pomegranate demonstrates how a traditional symbol can acquire new meanings and forms of artistic expression in contemporary art.

The exhibition will run through September 13.

The UK’s largest car manufacturer, which is owned by Indian conglomerate Tata Group, plans to reduce its British workforce by approximately 4,000 employees. Currently, around 34,000 people work for JLR in the UK.

The job cuts are part of a major cost-cutting programme worth £1.7 billion ($2.3 billion), which is expected to be carried out over the next two years.

JLR says the decision is linked to difficult conditions in the global automotive market, trade tensions and tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump. The company has also been affected by a recent cyberattack that forced JLR to temporarily suspend operations at several of its plants.

Despite the cuts, the company says it wants to protect its key manufacturing operations and focus on new models and electric vehicles.

An interesting fact is that Jaguar Land Rover is a famous symbol of the British car industry, even though it has been owned by India’s Tata Group since 2008. The company continues to have major design, engineering and manufacturing operations in the UK.

The situation highlights how strongly modern car manufacturers depend on global trade, supply chains and digital technology. A problem in any of these areas can have a major impact on production and thousands of jobs.

Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR plans to replace gas turbines with electric compressors at its offshore facilities as part of efforts to improve energy efficiency and advance electrification.

SOCAR Vice President Afghan Isayev made the remarks during Baku Climate Action Week 2026 (BCAW 2026).

‘We are grateful to the Ministry of Energy and our transmission system operator, which is leading this initiative. We have reached an agreement with them on a special energy-swapping arrangement. This will help us with the electrification process,’ Isayev said.

He noted that a new substation had been constructed specifically for this purpose, with the full support of the government, partners and the transmission system operator.

‘A ceremony to supply first power to this facility will be held next year. This is only the beginning. After that, in close cooperation with the technical operator, we will connect our offshore facilities to one another by cable, remove the gas turbines and replace them with electrical equipment, such as electrically driven compressors,’ Isayev said.

He added that companies including GE and Baker Hughes are already manufacturing electric compressors, while SOCAR also has plans to use such equipment at future central compressor stations.

‘Energy efficiency is extremely important today,’ Isayev said, stressing that the electrification process should proceed in parallel with the development of renewable energy generation.

According to the SOCAR vice president, the company will work with its partners to develop facilities capable of operating around the clock.

‘The goal here is to ensure a continuous 24-hour energy supply from renewable sources in combination with battery energy storage systems,’ he said.

The planned transition from gas turbines to electrically driven equipment is expected to support the electrification of SOCAR’s offshore operations while reducing reliance on gas-fired equipment and improving energy efficiency.

Russia has been sending Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories to a summer camp in North Korea as part of programs presented as ‘cultural exchanges,’ according to a European Union sanctions document seen by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

The document identifies the Songdowon International Children’s Camp, which is operated by North Korean authorities, as a target for inclusion in a new package of EU sanctions against Russia.

According to the document, the camp ‘participates in organized programs involving the transfer of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to North Korea.’ The transfers are coordinated by Russian officials.

Although described as cultural exchanges, the document says the programs serve a broader propaganda purpose by exposing Ukrainian children to curated pro-Russian narratives. It further accuses the camp of involvement in the ‘unlawful transfer, ideological indoctrination, and militarization’ of Ukrainian children in coordination with Russia.

The allegations come amid broader EU efforts to sanction individuals and organizations involved in the transfer and indoctrination of Ukrainian minors. In May, the EU sanctioned 16 individuals and seven entities over what it described as the systematic unlawful deportation, forced transfer and forced assimilation of Ukrainian children. The EU estimates that nearly 20,500 Ukrainian children have been deported or forcibly transferred by Russia since the start of the war.

The Songdowon camp, located on North Korea’s east coast, was previously sanctioned by the United Kingdom in May over its alleged role in Russia’s program involving the forced deportation and re-education of Ukrainian children.

The reported transfers also come as Moscow and Pyongyang continue to deepen their strategic partnership. Russia and North Korea inaugurated their first road bridge across the Tumen River on September 7, further expanding transport links between the two countries.